Major Information

The College of Marine Science (CMS) offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Marine Science. This research-based major has a low student-to-faculty ratio, with an average of 100 graduate students under the direction of ~ 30 fill-time faculty. Students in the Marine Science major may elect a concentration in biological, chemical, geological, or physical oceanography, or Marine Resource Assessment through course work and thesis research. CMS graduates are well prepared for positions in academia , industry, government agencies, and non?governmental organizations at local to international levels.

Biological Oceanography Biological O ceanographers seek to understand the life histories and population dynamics of marine organisms and how they interact with their environment over space and time. Scientists in the College of Marine Science study the full breadth of biological oceanography including microbiology, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, coral reefs, fishes, and marine mammals. Our biological oceanographers utilize a variety of techniques including SCUBA, shipboard samplers, acoustics, molecular biology, and mathematical modeling to understand the oceans and their inhabitants. Scientists in our college also use the latest in remote sensing technology to study vast regions of the Earth's oceans, and have developed new technology, capable of identifying and quantifying harmful algal blooms and related processes.

Chemical Oceanography Chemical oceanographers seek to understand the ways in which various chemical forms are cycled within the oceans, and the reactions that influence biogeochemical cycles . Ocean chemists improve our understanding of the basic conditions under which ocean life thrives in seawater, and help predict the effects of anthropogenic and natural climate change on ocean composition. Research programs in the College of Marine Science include wide ranging topics such as the role and variability of nutrients in seawater, the distribution and cycling of both biologically-essential and toxic trace metals, the oceans' CO2 system, dissolved organic matter, molecular organic compounds, radionuclides and stable isotopes , and the distribution of chemical pollutants and their interactions with marine organisms and ecosystems. Faculty and students utilize a wide variety of state?of?the- art instrumentation and technology for conducting this research.

Geological Oceanography Geological oceanographers in the College of Marine Science conduct research from the continental margins to the deep?ocean seafloor. Their work extends from modern environments to millions of years before present to understand and predict Earth surface and interior processes. Primary research themes include: (1) paleoceanography and paleoclimatology; (2) coastline and continental shelf development and processes including effects of storms and sea?level fluctuations; (3) the health of modern coral reefs; (4) carbonate depositional processes; (5 ) anthropogenic influences on estuaries; (6 ) mathematical descriptions of geologic phenomena; and (7 ) plate tectonics. Our geological oceanography group has a variety of modern well?equipped laboratories and field equipment, including one of the best seafloor mapping capabilities in the US. Fully integrated with these field instruments is the computational capability to generate state?of?the- art data depictions and imagery. Our group also works closely with scientists from the US Geological Survey's Center for Coastal and Marine Science Center, a major federal laboratory located nearby.

Physical Oceanography Physical oceanography involves the study of water movement in the ocean. Energy is introduced to the ocean through wind and solar heating, and these combine with the rotation of the Earth and gravitational effects to drive ocean circulation, tides, and waves. Our physical oceanographers also investigate how the Earth's oceans are directly coupled with the atmosphere, from local weather patterns to the global climate system. Physical oceanographers in the CMS carry out research on a variety of topics using the latest technology. Computer models, real time data, satellite remote sensing, and in situ data from moored arrays, coastal tide gauges, and research cruises are used to study a wide range of research problems. Topics include tide and current prediction in Tampa Bay, circulation on the West Florida Shelf and in the Gulf of Mexico, El Nio phenomena, and the potential for global climate change.

Marine Resource Assessment The College of Marine Science offers an interdisciplinary concentration in Marine Resource Assessment (MRA) as part of its M.S. and Ph.D. majors. This concentration provides training in the emerging field of ecosystem?based management. Its mission is to train a new generation of scientists that can effectively address issues concerning the sustainability of the world's living natural resources. T he MRA concentration addresses the national shortage of graduates possessing the skills required for managing living marine resources by teaching a quantitative approach to ecosystem analysis and living resource assessment. The MRA concentration is designed to produce resource assessment scientists who can introduce relevant ecosystem?level variables into the traditional, single?species assessment process, complementing and enhancing the development of science?based management policies that protect living marine resources.

Accreditation Information:

Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College and Schools.

Have the commitment of a Marine Science faculty member to serve as advisor during the student’s graduate studies.

Required Application Materials

research interest essay (use template from Marine Science website) -

a resume or curriculum vitae

three letters of recommendation

official transcripts of grades

GRE exam scores

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

Minimum TOEFL exam score of 79

Financial Support Requirements Form (available on the Office of Graduate Studies website)

Official transcripts of grades: all international transcripts must be in English; it is the applicant’s responsibility to have foreign transcripts translated and evaluated before submitting them as part of their graduate application packet. Please visit the Foreign Transcript Evaluations Services Listing of acceptable evaluators. Further details can be found at: http://www.usf.edu/admissions/graduate/application-requirements/transcripts-foreign.aspx

In lieu of a standard Comprehensive Exam , M.S. students must only pass their thesis defense. M.S. students planning to remain in CMS and enter the Ph.D. after completion of their M.S. are invited and encouraged to take the Integrated Marine Science Exam (IMSE) after their first or second year in the M.S0. Or they can wait until they are in the Ph.D.

USF Degree Requirements

Financial Assistance

Registration Process

First, contact your graduate advisor for guidance courses to register for. Obtain any electronic course permit if necessary. Register for the new student orientation online at http://www.grad.usf.edu/orientation.php. Then go to http://oasis.usf.edu/ the link to OASIS, USF's on-line registration system to register for your classes. Follow the directions given on-line.

To access online course materials, students must have a USF NetID (e-mail account). Please visit: https://netid.usf.edu/una/ to obtain your NetID.